The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-08
AGRARIAN CRIME In ERIN
GLADSTONE MOVES TO SHELVE
THE BILL THREE MONTHS

Barbarous.
LONDON, July TN the House of Com
mons tonight when the motion was made
for the third reading of the Grimes bill, Mr..
Gladstone, amid prolonged cheers, made a
counter-motion that the bill be read the
third time this day three months.
Mr. Gladstone said the bill was the Con-
servative alternative to home rule, and
therefore bore different aspect from any
ordinary Coercion bill. The old Coercion
measures had been aimed at crime only,
but this new one passing beyond crime,
aimed at societies [Cries Of 'Hear,
hear.rl Further, the bill had been brought
in without any foundation such as underlay
ull former coercion bills based ON the exist
ence of exceptional crime. Mr.. Balfour
had disregarded all precedents requiring
that the introduction Of coercion measures
be prefaced by statement of exceptional
crime.
Mr.. Gladstone maintained that the in
crease of crime i'll 1886 over 1885, in view of
the agricultural distress in Ireland, was
exceedingly small. Comparing the officials
Of the Tory government in power in Ireland
IN 1855 with those in power, the first five
months of 1887 there was marked decrease
in the amount OF agrarlan crime.
NO JUSTIFICATION.
Yet in 1886 they had refrained from in
Producing a coerCive measure from motives
of policy. Comparison of past and present
statistics afforded no shadow of justification
for the present measure. Another contrast
was that past Parliaments had been nearly
unanimous in asserting to coercion while
this bill was opposed by large minority i'll
the House and by majority of the people
of the country, a majority that was not
likely to diminish. [Cheers.l If Parliament
retained any regard for the traditions
Of liberty or OF party 9sageS
the measure would be abandoned.
What could they urge to warrant such an
invasion of the peoples liberties While re-
senting the imputation that the Liberals
had done the same thing he would admit
that past coercive measures had been fail
ures. Among the differences between the
past and present was the extraordinary pro
posal making the Viceroy master of the
whole law and right of association. In the
present century such a proposal was an out
rage upon every principle of public duty
Moreover new offenSes were created under
the measure.
AIM OF THE BILL.
The Attorney General for ireland had
admitted, and it was too late to deny, that
the bill aimed at the suppression of ex-
elusive dealing. That was far more pardon
able in the weak and poor than it was in
the rich and powerful but it was the ex-
elusive dealing of the poor against the
strong at which the bill was aimed. If
new crime were created meas
ure for its suppression should
operate impartially [Cheers The
government did not dare to lift finger in
defense Of the suggestion that it apply to
England the provision such as it was fore
ing upon Ireland. He contended that the
government was bound to extend to occu-
piers of land in ireland perfect equality
with English trade unions as regards
the rights and practices enjoyed by
the latter, among which combinations
and exclusive dealing were sanctioned. AS
the bill stood, if any Irishman joined an
association it was for Mr.. Ealfour to say
whether or not he became q criminal by the
act [Cheers.l In conclusion Mr.. Gladstone
said that Ireland, after seventy years of op-
preston and wrong, was in a state of misery
and wretchedness. [Cries Of Hear"
Heart In the whole British empire
he said, there was not a square yard of land
which England held by force alone, ex-
cepting in Ireland, where force was en-
ployed. Enthusiastic cheers from the Irish
benches.l Ireland was held by mastery, but
the government refused to learn that mas
terry involved responsibility. [Cries Of
Hear hearp1
ALL THE WRITERS AGAINST THEM.
They knew that the whole literature of the
world was against them [Cries of "No."1
He challenged the government TO mention
any authority who had reviewed the rela-
tions between England and Ireland without
arriving at the home solution. [Cheers
The Tories professed to be fighting for the
union Of the empire, a fight in which
the Liberals joined. [Laughter and
cheers.l The Liberals held that the charge
of dsunion was ridiculous 1t was evident
that the present state of affairs could not
last long, as Mr.. Gladstone believed that
every day tended to bring the tories nearer
their DOOM Mr. Gladstone then moved for
the rejection of the bill amid cheers from
the Liberal and Parnellite benches.
Mr.. Balfour, replying to Mr.. Gladstone,
first referred to the charge that the govern
ment had brought the bill as an alternative
TO Mr.. Gladstone's home rule proposals. If
that was the case, he said, he felt justified in
saying that it was sufficient to recommend
the measure to the acceptance of the House.
SOCIAL TYRANNY.
The government was mainly justified in
introducing its proposals by the state Of
social tyranny which has recently been
created In Ireland, n tyranny that attacked
the rights and liberties Of the ininorities and
most of those elementary principles without
which the country could never be pros
porous He contended that crime was
worse now in Ireland than in 1870 when Mr.
Gladstone promoted coercion. He taunted
Mr.. Gladstone with having introduced
in 1881 an arbitrary coercive measure which
enabled the Irish Chief Secretary TO i'm
prison anybody at will. He ridiculed the
comparison that had been made between
trades unions and societies whose object
was dismembcrment of the empire and
which were supported by foreigners.
Trades unions might well be indignant at q
comparison of their honest, peaceful efforts
with those of boycotters and political con
spirators. Mr. Gladstone had made an in
sidious and inaccurate statement regarding
this years crime in ireland. Early in the
year there was visible Improvement, but
at the last quarter session there were evil
dences Of relapse. In June sixty-two seri-
Gus crimes We're COMMUNICATION above the
average of the previous eighteen months.
CLOSE AND LUCID.
Mr.. Gladstones Speech though inevitably
travelling over old ground, was a remark
able close and lucid presentation of the dr.
gumcnts against the bill. The style in
which it was delivered was cqtchingly
aimed and mt times the whole house was
reused with enthusiasm
William O'Briens temperance in the
House tonight was greeted with cheers.
The Parnellites 10 not intend 10 prolong
the debate on the crimes bill beyond to-